


(we were just kids) when we fell in love

by buckymyson (trashfinity)



Series: we were just kids [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Mentions of Cancer, aka Jason doesn't die, just some detailed making out realy, rated teen for some language and a smut scene you would see in a teen show, so it's not even smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-03 08:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10240598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashfinity/pseuds/buckymyson
Summary: "Except, then he kisses her lips and asks her to marry him when Mrs. Gribrock shares the news that they did it, that Archie gets to be in Betty’s class next year, and it changes everything. Betty’s seen enough TV to know that getting married means something different than what they have now. It changes things."-or: Betty and Archie, starting in 2nd grade and going through the motions as they change from friends to something more.





	

**Author's Note:**

> got the inspiration from 1x02 when Archie mentioned "proposing" to Betty in second grade, and though I am a hardcore Beronica shipper, I knew I had to do my duty as a fic writer. I also became a Barchie shipper in the meanwhile, so that's cool. 
> 
> Pretty much, Jason didn't die so there isn't that shit, and Cheryl doesn't hate Betty as much, so she's not out to ruin her life anymore. Veronica's there, and becomes part of the Core Four, but doesn't like Archie in any way except platonically. 
> 
> title from 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran, which later became my inspiration for this fic, as it's very fitting. (And a little coincidental, as I started writing this before Ed released his album.) also, you should totally listen to it, as it's my favorite song on the whole album.
> 
> oh, and Archie actually has a spare room in this, despite him blowing up an air mattress for Jughead at the end of whatever episode it was because I started this right after watching 1x02 before we learned more about everything in general.

At the time, Betty’s too young to understand. There are matters more important to her eight-year-old self – like tutoring Archie – than listening to adults chat on park benches and back decks. So, when she hears a mention of something about the future, a wedding, and her and Archie, Betty doesn’t think much of it; she goes back to swinging across the monkey bars.

The day after, she’s sitting on the swing set in her backyard, helping Archie work his way through a chapter of a _Magic Treehouse_ book. She doesn’t care how long it takes, or how many recesses and afternoons she has to give up to help him; Betty Cooper is getting Archie Andrews into her third grade class, no ifs, ands, or buts. The teachers aren’t any help, not enough to get him to level he needs, and his parents have already decided to let him fall back a year, but Betty hasn’t. Betty won’t. She can’t. Archie’s her best friend, and they do everything together; she refuses to let this become the one thing they don’t share.

To eight-year-old Betty, she helps Archie because it’s the right thing to do; he’s her friend, and he needs help. But when she’s older, smarter, Betty will realize that maybe she had an ulterior motive to it all. Being a good friend may have been part of her drive to help, but there was something else there as well. Something she doesn’t recognize at the time. Something a little like love.

Crushes, Valentines, love; it’s all weird and foreign to second graders, which is why Betty never picks up on her own feelings; she doesn’t understand them herself. What reason is there for her to question them anyways? Archie’s her friend, has been for half of her life by now, and she cares about him. She knows that he cares about her too. A change would make it weird, and Betty wants them to stay the same, forever, so she keeps things the way they are; she’s a friend helping a friend with school, no other implications needed.

Except, then he kisses her lips and asks her to marry him when Mrs. Gribrock shares the news that they did it, that Archie gets to be in Betty’s class next year, and it changes everything. Betty’s seen enough TV to know that getting married means something different than what they have now. It changes things.

She almost finds herself liking these changes.

But instead of following her heart, she uses her head.

“Ask me when we’re eighteen, and I'll say yes,” she answers. Ten years is so long that maybe she’ll find herself wanting that change. A lot can happen in ten years; just look at her! It’s only taken eight to grow from a helpless baby to the person she is now; a girl who can count to a thousand, can tie her shoes so perfectly she was asked to teach the kindergarteners, and can read _Harry Potter_ with only a bit of help from her sister.

Just as she’s about to run to the playground - recess only lasts ten minutes, and she doesn’t want to spend the whole time talking – Archie looks to the ground, a little sad, so she kisses him on the cheek and skips off to join Jughead in the sandbox.

Maybe, she thinks as their eyes meet from across the yard, change can be a good thing.

 

* * *

 

 

Freshman year brings a new factor of change into their relationship.

Throughout middle school, Betty adamantly refused to be linked to her childhood best friend in any way other than platonic. Though her feelings for Archie had never disappeared, they had diminished significantly in sixth grade, when he continued to act like a second grader and she was even more mature than her sister, and it stayed this way throughout middle school. Betty detested all taunts and teases about her and Archie, as the thought of being associated with such an immature boy in that way disgusted her. He was still her best friend – that could never change – but romance was out of the question.

And then they started at Riverdale High, and Betty noticed his more mature attitude. No longer did he laugh at dumb sex jokes or make inappropriate noises during Independent Reading. He’d grown up, Betty realized. Thus came the return of “Archie and Betty sittin’ in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” though the words were changed to “Archie and Betty are endgame” to better suit their new found “maturity.”

She’s conflicted about it all. As much as she likes Archie, and knows the teasing is not only true, but meant in good nature, it feels as if society has engrained in her mind the thought of being a strong, independent woman. Typically, their definitions – or at least those she tends to see – are about being above men. Not because women are better than men (no one’s better than anyone, unless they're a murderer or rapist!), but because men are dumb and immature and cause more trouble than they’re worth. If Betty wants to be a strong woman, she can’t attach herself to a man – boy, really – so young. She has to be better than this.

So Betty boxes her feelings up and ships it to a dark, dingy corner of mind. Until she figures things out, comes to term with all of these changes, decides the best plan of action, she’s going to pretend they don’t exist.

Out of sight, out of mind, they say.

And it works, for a time. Most of the year, actually. Each time she thinks about Archie in any way other than platonic, she suppresses it, shoves it in the dark corner, and throws herself into her schoolwork to forget about it. Her friendship with Archie may be deteriorating, but at least she’s momentarily stopped pining after him.

But life is constantly in motion, always changing, never stopping, no matter how much she tries to slow it down.

 

* * *

 

 

Veronica Lodge sweeps into town but doesn’t do as much disrupting as Betty expected. Life goes on as it did last year, and the year before, and so on and so forth. Cheryl continues to be a bitch, Josie a Pussycat, and Reggie an asshole. Archie changes a bit; he’s hotter, and he plays the guitar now, but he’s still the same Archie from second grade at heart. Moose is gay now, or at least questioning if his proposition to Kevin is anything to go on, so that’s new.

But biggest of all, Betty stands up to her mom. She ignores her curfew, lets clothes litter her floor, and spends her spare time with Veronica Lodge.

Her grades don’t slip, though, and her fashion sense continues to be that of the Girl Next Door, but that’s who she is, and Betty no longer has a problem with it.

(In a town like Riverdale, cheesiness is unavoidable, and she proudly accepts the trope. It’s true, anyways. Archie’s the All-American Boy – sweet, respectful, and a football player – and she’s the Girl Next Door – kind, caring, and the head of the welcoming committee. She does try to ignore the trope commonly shared between the two – High School Sweethearts – as an effort to forget her feelings. Some things haven’t changed yet.)

After a week of rebellion, her mother decides she’s had enough and gives Betty an ultimatum; conform to her rules or get out. Betty, frustrated with being treated like a naïve child instead of a teenager with a life and dreams, packs her suitcase and leaves. For the first two days, she stays with Veronica. Just to get things sorted. Get a job, find a proper place to stay, grab the last of her belongings from her mother’s house. Veronica tries to offer Betty the guest room, but she hasn’t known her for all that long, and she’d hate to be a burden when they’ve barely settled in.

Somehow, Archie hears about this and refuses to let Betty leave Pop’s before she agrees to move into his spare room. It’s hard to argue with Archie, but dear God, she tries. Living with him could be disastrous at best, if their past “sleepovers” are any indication. And Betty doesn’t want to think of the effects it could have on their friendship. But she isn’t given a choice, so the next day, Archie hauls her suitcase into the spare room.

 “Thank you, by the way,” Betty says. She’s perched awkwardly on the edge of the double bed, unsure of how to proceed with anything. What’s the protocol for living with your crush of eight years after getting kicked out? “For letting me stay here.”

Archie shoots her an incredulous look. “Betty, you’re my best friend. Did you honestly think I’d let you stay in a motel or something when there is a perfectly good – and free – bed available?”

Betty shrugs. “I don’t know. I just assumed –“

“Assumed what?”

“Well, your dad seemed to agree to this pretty quickly. Isn’t he concerned about stuff happening? Not that it would, but I mean, we are teenagers. We tend to do dumb things that our parents don’t want us to.”

“My dad trusts me, Betty. He knows I would never do anything bad.”

Tears gather in the corners of Betty’s eyes. Trust had always been an issue at home, and it really hits hard now.

Realizing his mistake, Archie sits down beside Betty, pulling her into his arms. He guides her head to his shoulder, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “It’s alright, Betty. It’s okay. You don’t need to worry about them anymore.”

She knows he’s right, but it’s easier said than done. From a young age, she’s been conditioned to feel the heavy weight of their high expectations on her shoulders, always pushing to do better, be better, be the best. With it gone, she has no purpose in life. How can she be a real girl after fifteen years of being a puppet guided by strings?

Tilting her head, she starts asking Archie the same question, but he’s staring at her with those big brown eyes, all soft and warm and caring, and Betty loses her train of thought. Has he always been this attractive?

Archie leans closer, eyes half-closed, and Betty’s mind goes blank. There’s only her and Archie; the rest of the world ceases to exist beyond these four walls.

The subconscious yearning part of her brain takes control and takes Betty the extra distance until their lips are a hair’s breadth apart, so close yet so far. Archie closes the gap, his chapped lips touching her glossy ones, and cliché as it sounds, Betty sees fireworks.

But it’s not a firework show, with bright colors and explosions in the sky. Instead, it’s one of images, of her and Archie, and Veronica, and Jughead, and Vegas, and their families. She sees a myriad of schools, houses, and restaurants; carnivals, movie theaters, and beaches; the football field, Pop’s, and the drive-in. All with Archie, all shining with joy.

Archie deepens the kiss, wrapping his arms around her neck and pulling her closer, sending a thrill scorching through Betty’s spine. Her heart is pounding, blood thrumming through her veins. She leans in, pushing herself into Archie’s lap. She needs more, needs to get closer, needs _him._

They drop back, Archie on his back and legs hanging off the end of the bed, Betty straddling his hips. Their lips part for a moment, just to catch a breath, before finding each other again. Archie’s tongue darts out, a little sudden, and Betty moans, opening her mouth. His hands move to her back, her hips, her ass.

They fall into a rhythm, searching each other with their hands and mouths, touching, grabbing, and biting. Betty must do something he likes, because his moan shutters through her body. She responds in earnest, giving a low groan of pleasure at the way he bites her lip.

He’s going for her bra, and she’s ready to let him take it off, when the front door slamming startles them out their activities.

“Archie, I’m back with dinner!”

Fred’s footsteps sound through the open door of the spare room, and Betty takes stock of their appearances. Their lips are red and swollen, and most of her lip gloss has been transferred to Archie. Her ponytail is ruined; half of her hair is falling out, and there’s no way to fix it in time. Archie isn’t much better, with his hair resembling a bird’s nest.

His current . . . situation won’t be helping their case, either.

As quickly as possible, Betty twists her hair into a messy top knot, wipes off the remaining lip gloss, and adjusts her clothes so it doesn’t appear as if a fifteen-year-old boy had been fondling her breasts thirty seconds earlier. For Archie, she shoves him onto the desk chair, tosses him a pillow, and rubs the lip gloss into his lips.

“Archie!” Fred calls again.

“In here, dad!”

Fred walks in, appearing taken aback at their appearances. “What have you guys been up to?”

“Betty was doing my makeup,” answers Archie, and she nods in agreement, holding up her lip gloss as proof. “I was curious to see what girls go through every day.”

“Okay then,” Fred replies, unconvinced, but doesn’t question them further. “Well, pizza’s on the table whenever you want it.”

He leaves with a curt smile.

“So,” Betty starts, picking at a loose thread hanging from her sweater. It hadn’t been awkward until they stopped, and she hates to think of how it would’ve felt if they’d kept going.

“That happened,” Archie says, hands fidgeting with the pillow.

A tense silence falls over the room.

“I hate to say that everything happens for a reason . . .”

Archie nods. “But that wasn’t random.”

There’s a pregnant pause as Betty gathers her thoughts. She knows why she let him kiss her, but what prompted him to initiate it in the first place? Was it out of sympathy or pity? She had been upset and using him for comfort; that can flip things upside down fairly quickly if one isn’t careful, and Archie had never been a cautious kid.

“I didn’t kiss you because you were crying, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Betty glances up from her lap, meeting Archie’s eye. “Why did you, then?”

He runs his fingers through his hair, a nervous tick for his most apprehensive moments. “Because . . .” he pauses. Takes a deep breath. “Because I like you, Betty, and you were right there, and I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry if it makes things weird –“

“Archie, if I didn’t want to kiss you, I wouldn’t have let you get so close, let alone let you get as far as you did.”

“I just feel like I pressured you,” he admits. “You were vulnerable, and I took advantage of that.”

“I was sad, Archie. Not drunk, not high, not inconsolable. I was fully conscious of my decisions, and I never felt pressured in any way. I promise.”

Relief flashes across his face.

“Were you really that concerned about me?” she asks curiously.

“You’re my best friends, Bets. I’m always going to be worried about hurting you.”

And they leave it at that, for now. Betty doesn’t want any other explanations or confessions, because no matter what, she still has Archie, and that’s all she’ll ever need.

 

* * *

 

 

Their first date is at Pop’s. It’s a rite of passage in Riverdale to have a first date at the infamous diner. Some claim not following this tradition curses the relationship, and though Betty knows it’s not true in the least, she doesn’t want to risk it. Besides, Pop’s is familiar, the smell of grease and milkshakes a comfort, and they’re venturing into new territory. She needs all the familiarity she can find.

At first, the conversation is awkward, stilted. Typical first date conversation topics were covered ten years ago, and they see each other every day. Funny stories have all been shared, either together or through an exaggerated retelling. School isn’t an option, since they each know all the teachers and most of their peers, and families are a touchy subject. There isn’t much they haven’t already shared.

And then Archie asks, “If you could sleep with any of the founding fathers, who would you choose, and why?” and the ice is broken.

They conjure up a few unheard stories and come up with increasingly complex questions to ask each other, which manages to turn the date around.

As Archie walks her home, fingers intertwined, Betty begins to realize how far she’s fallen for her best friend. Every laugh sends her heart aflutter, every touch makes her pulse race, every look sets her nerves aflame. Not a night passes without her lying awake, imagining a life with him. She misses him when he leaves, and feels relief when he returns. Veronica taunts and teases her, saying she’s got it bad, but Betty doesn’t argue. Not when it’s the truth.

“What’s wrong?” asks Archie, his concern sending a happy flutter through Betty’s heart as she stops on the street corner.

She looks up at him, the streetlight shining through his hair, deep chestnut eyes boring into her own. He’s absolutely beautiful, with his eyebrows furrowed and mouth turned down in a slight frown. An angel sent from heaven to give the gift of true love to a lost girl. Up until now, loving him had seemed far-fetched. Despite her crush, Betty had always thought of their relationship as platonic. But standing here, she realizes the truth; they were never meant to just be friends. Her feelings wouldn’t be so strong if that were true.

So she tells the truth. “I love you.”

For a moment, there’s only silence, and Betty worries about the effects this could have on their relationship if her feelings aren’t reciprocated. She’ll have to move in with Veronica,

And then he grins, bright and wide and euphoric. “I love you too.”

This time it’s Betty that initiates the kiss, standing on her tiptoes to reach his lips. His hand caresses her cheek, tender and soft. The kiss itself is warm and comforting, despite the chill of the late October night. It’s fuzzy socks and hot chocolate with marshmallows and cuddling by the fire. It’s Fred’s homemade mac ‘n’ cheese and vanilla candles and soft music playing in the background.

It’s _home._

A honk startles them out of their embrace, and Betty’s heart doesn’t settle until she sees it’s only Veronica.

“Hey love birds,” she hollers through the window, “need a ride?”

Archie laughs, a lilting melody on the wind, and it warms Betty’s heart.

Maybe she’d been right back in second grade. Maybe this change really can be a good thing.

 

* * *

 

 

Christmastime rolls around quickly, a dreary November giving way to a cheerful December. With it comes the snow; a light dusting at first soon turns into a true Nor’easter, cancelling school for the first few days of the month. It calms down afterwards, though the temperature stays below freezing and prevents the snow from melting. Three weeks before Christmas break, the town begins to resemble a winter wonderland, complete with an abundance of Christmas decorations and three feet of snow.

One Friday night, Betty, Archie, Jughead, Veronica, and Kevin are finishing off the final school week by watching cheesy Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolates at the Andrews’ home. It’s been a tradition for the past five years to spend the last day before break at someone’s house – typically Archie’s – to enjoy a few final moments before the chaos of the season truly begins.

The doorbell rings halfway through the animated version of _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ , and Archie volunteers to answer, seeing as it’s his house. Betty grumbles about it, since it means losing her personal two-in-one pillow and furnace, but they decide it’s probably the pizza delivery guy, and Archie’s the one with the money to pay him. And then, with Archie’s spot now vacated, Vegas hops onto the couch, nuzzling his head into Betty’s side.

(Throughout Betty’s stay with the Andrews, Vegas has been her most constant companion. Between football practice and his love of music, Archie has far less free time to spend with Betty than either of them like, so Betty tends to spend her alone time with Vegas. He’s practically her second boyfriend.)

Just as Max descends over the cliff and looks up to see the Grinch’s sled looming on-screen, they hear Archie exclaim, “Mom?!” and share confused glances.

It’s unspoken but common knowledge around Riverdale that Mary Andrews left Archie and Fred six years ago after her husband caught her cheating with a Southside Serpent. Neither has since forgiven her, least of all Archie. In the span of one week, he found out his parents’ marriage was ruined and was abandoned by his mother, so no one blames him for holding a grudge.

“What the hell are you doing here?!”

“I’m here for you, sweetie.”

The remaining four friends wince, knowing that was exactly the wrong thing to say to Archie. His grudge is one of epic proportions, and Mary’s reappearance after so long out of his life will only make it worse.

Quietly, Betty nudges Vegas off her leg and moves to the front entrance, prepared to break up the ensuing fight.

“Betty Cooper?” Mary asks, eyes wide in disbelief. “Look how you’ve grown!”

Betty smiles tartly, eyes narrowed. Her boyfriend isn’t the only one with a grudge. “Can we help you, Mrs. Andrews?”

Mary appears taken aback with Betty’s acerbic tone, filling her with pride. Having a bark worse than a bite can be helpful in some situations.

“I’m here to see my son.”

“What if I don’t want to see you?” Archie’s tone is biting, sharp.

“But, Archiebear,” Mary tries, reaching for her son’s hand. He pulls it away sharply, stepping back towards Betty.

“No, mom. You don’t get to say that after six years. All rights to that nickname, to me, were lost when you left us!”

Her eyes shine hopefully. “But I’m here now-“

“How do we know that, mom? How do we know you won’t just abandon us again?”

“I promise you, Archie, I won’t leave again.”

He shakes his head, huffing out a quiet laugh. “I don’t believe you. Goodbye, mom. Don’t bother showing up at my graduation.”

The door slams shut, enveloping the house in deafening silence. In the background, Betty hears the sinister melody of another song starting up and recognizes it as the Grinch’s most evil moment. Fitting, she thinks. Mary did seem a little Grinch-like around the holidays.

For two minutes, no one makes a sound for fear of setting off the ticking time bomb that is Archie. Any sudden moves or loud noises could cause an explosion. (His mom is a _very_ touchy subject.)

And then he strolls into the living room and reclaims his seat from Vegas as if nothing happened. As if his mother – his lying, cheating, abandoning mother – didn’t just try to beg her way back into his life after six years. Betty shares a wary look with Jughead, asking a million silent questions. They’re the two that know him best, that have been there through thick and thin, who were by his side when his mother left, but even this is lost on them.

Fred returns home at five to eight, and Betty follows him into the kitchen under the pretense of getting a drink.

“What’s wrong now?” he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. The dim light from over the sink shines through his hair, and it has the same effect as with Archie. Betty, just for a moment, imagines that it is. That Archie’s ginger hair has turned a grey with age, and his baby face has turned rough and wrinkled. The fifty-year-old Archie of her mind smiles warmly at her, light sparkling off his wedding band as he brushes through his hair. The laughter of her friends turns into that of her children, all in the living room, carrying on their annual Christmas break tradition.

For a moment, she imagines they’re happy.

“Mary came here, looking for Archie. She wanted back in his life, and he told her to get lost. He’s been acting weird ever since,” she explains, zoning back into reality. Back to the problem at hand.

“Of all the times,” Fred groans. “I’ll have a talk with him later. Thank you for telling me, Betty.”

“Just looking out for my friends. It’s not a big deal.”

“You wouldn’t be thinking that if you’d stayed quiet and Archie turned into a vindictive sociopath a few years down the road.”

An image of Archie in thirty years flashes through her mind. His smile warms her heart, reminding her of all the good times to come. Then it’s gone, but Betty knows the impression will last a lifetime.

“I suppose not.”

 

* * *

 

 

Months pass without a single word from Mary. If Betty weren’t so caught up in her schoolwork, she’d be concerned. She shows up out of the blue to see her son and then leaves, just like that. But Betty is too occupied with AP Chemistry and History to worry about her boyfriend’s mother and her sporadic appearances.

By the time spring break rolls around, they’ve all forgotten about the incident and talk of Mary Andrews ceases.

And then Fred gets a call late one night, the landline shrilling through the sleeping house. As she’s pulled from a late-night coffee-induced dream, Betty wonders groggily who the hell would be calling the _landline._ They all have cellphones, and Fred only keeps it plugged in for cases of power outages.

Rubbing sleep from her eyes, Betty descends the stairs, Archie close behind. She catches a glimpse of him under the light as he catches up to her, and again, it adds the ethereal, luminous glow she adores. Plus, he’s cute with his mussed hair and drooping eyes. It really adds to his whole All-American-Boy thing he’s got going for him. Somehow.

“Thank you for calling. I really appreciate it. Buh-bye.”

Fred turns towards the two teens, hanging up the phone with a single click. They inch forward in anticipation, wildly curious as to who is calling so late at night.

“So,” Archie prompts, and God, his voice is rough and scratchy and _hot_ and – Betty’s turning into absolute putty around him still. She really needs to get a hold on that.

“That was the hospital,” says Fred with a sigh. He runs a hand over his face. “It was about your mother.”

Under the dim light, Betty watches the blood drain from Archie’s face. His jaw goes slack, eyes growing wide. “What’s wrong?”

“She has pancreatic cancer,” he explains, and Betty’s world spins. “The doctor’s think she only has a few more weeks left at most. Turns out I’m still listed as her emergency contact, and the hospital decided to let us know she’d been admitted.”

Betty frowns. “Is that why she came over before Christmas? Because she knew she was dying?” All the regrets she hadn’t felt that day rush in until the cup that is her brain runs over with shame. How could she be so ignorant? Remembering back to that day, Mary had appeared sickly pale and gaunt, while she’d consistently been healthy before.

“I’m not sure of her reasons for the visit, but they did say she’s been sick for a few months.”

“But why wouldn’t she just say so?”

“Mary was never a bold person. Maybe she just didn’t want to flaunt it, and had been hoping Archie would be forgiving,” Fred ventures. “Anyways, this isn’t the time to be discussing things. You both have school in the morning, so go to sleep.” Although he means it as an order, they all know he’s too tired to act on any threats he may make. Plus, he just dropped a bomb on his son, and if Fred is expecting anything, it’s for Archie and Betty to stay up all night talking about it. He’d be a fool to think anything else.

Still, they attempt to disguise their motives by having Betty return to her room and turn off her light, to let Fred have some deniability. Unlike Betty’s parents, Fred will accept the facts they give him, no matter how blurred the context, so long as it involved nothing illegal. He can be fiercely overprotective when he chooses but tends to be lenient in situations involving Betty. (At this point, he’s learned every demand he makes will just be ignored anyways, and it’s safer to let them do these legal activities before they grow resistant, rebel, and turn to drugs.)

Once in Archie’s room, he flops onto his back, while she stands near the door. It feels like a breach of his privacy to join him on his bed right now, and the only chair in his room is covered with dirty clothes.

“So,” Betty starts awkwardly, as she’s unsure how to continue. How does one broach the topic of their boyfriend’s sick mother without being insensitive or pushy?

“I can’t believe her!” Archie fumes, smacking the mattress as he pushes himself up to face Betty. “She shows up after _six years_ because she’s dying? What could possibly make her think I’d give a shit after she _abandoned us_ for some penthouse in New York?”

His words are sharp knives, digging into her skin and tearing through flesh, and they aren’t even meant for her. “Archie, I’m sure she regrets what she did –“

“If she really did, she would’ve come back a lot sooner.”

“I’m sure she had her reasons for staying away and for coming back when she did,” Betty reasons, but to no avail. He isn’t listening to reason anymore. The rage he’s bottled up for so long has just exploded.

“Are you actually defending her? After everything she did to me? To my dad?”

“Archie, I’m not saying that leaving you was right. I just think that you should give her another chance. Whether it’s out of pity or love or spite, I don’t care. But don’t cast her aside because you have a grudge you refuse to let go.”

He scoffs. “My own girlfriend’s siding against me.”

“I’m not picking sides,” she argues, clenching her hands with frustration. “If you would just _listen_ to me –“

“You’re defending her, Betty!”

“I am trying to reason with you. Look, I can’t stand my mother, and it’s been four months. But if she were to knock on the front door and ask for my forgiveness, especially if she was _dying_ , I would at least give her a chance.”

“Your mother didn’t abandon you for six years,” he barks.

“No, you’re right,” Betty agrees. A deep rage bubbles under her skin, and she’s ready to explode. “She just pushed me too hard, gave me anxiety and low self-esteem, never let me step a single toe out of line lest I fall down the path of sex and drugs, grounded me if I scored anything lower than a ninety on a test, and generally made me feel like shit for _sixteen years._ So, yeah, I don’t understand your pain, Archie, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have some of my own.”

The silence roars in Betty’s ears, but neither says another word.

“I’m sorry, Betty,” he finally says. “I had no idea.”

“Of course you didn’t.” _Okay, stop now, Betty_ , she thinks. _Before you ruin everything._ “You know why, Archie? Because you never listen anymore! It’s all about you, and I’m sick of it. For four months, I have let you hold my heart in my hands, believing you would never hurt me, but I was wrong, and now I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.”

She rushes out of the room, refusing to let him see her cry. It’s a sign of weakness, a sign that she isn’t strong enough to handle all the world hands her. Only people close to her heart, those she trusts, are permitted to see through the veil she disguises herself with, the veil she uses to hide her vulnerabilities to those wishing to bring her harm, and Archie has just lost those two qualifications.

 

* * *

 

 

That morning, five minutes before the dawn, Betty Cooper struts down the quiet sidewalk, headed for Main Street, suitcase rolling behind her. Her first stop is the Pembroke, where Veronica has Smithers waiting to take her up to the Lodge’s apartment, and after that, she isn’t sure what she’ll do. But it will be unexpected, because this is a new Betty, an improved one.

“Archie Andrews, you can eat your heart out.”

 

* * *

 

 

Two days following her break-up with Archie, Betty returns to school, sporting a sleek new hairdo and a new sense of style. Once a perky blonde who wore pink sweaters and lip gloss, she’s a stone-cold brunette with a penchant for short skirts and high heels. Every head turns her away as she moves through the halls, confident and strong. Freshmen squeak like mice and hide along the walls, refusing to step in her way. Jocks yell out phone numbers and rate her on a scale of one to ten, typically agreeing on a firm eight-point-five. (She used to be a weak six.)

She turns a corner, watching as more eyes lock on to her. Veronica steps up beside her, keeping a fast pace. Their clacking heels echo down the halls, clearing a wide path.

So this is what it’s like to be popular.

“Have you seen Archie yet?” Veronica inquires, a wicked tone in her voice. She knows something, and it’s juicy.

“No. Why?”

“Okay, so I know I said I’d be a better person, but gossip is addicting. Anyways, I saw him outside with Jughead this morning, and he looks miserable. His hair is a rat’s nest, and his eyes are darker than the other side of the moon.”

Guilt claws at Betty’s insides. She did this to him. He broke her heart, but she ripped his in two. “Are you sure it isn’t because of his mom?”

Veronica narrows her eyes. “His mom? That happened two months ago! No, he’s miserable because he realized how badly he messed up!”

By now, they’re out of the main wing, so the hallway is void of all other life. Betty stops, unable to move out of shame.

“Betty, what didn’t you tell me? I only agreed to this because you said he broke up with you!”

“I lied,” she confesses. “The hospital called in the middle of the night to say that his mom was admitted to the hospital with pancreatic cancer, and she only has a few weeks to live. Archie got really angry, and I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn’t listen, and we both said things we shouldn’t have, so I said ‘we’re done’, packed up my things, and left.”

“What did he say?”

“I said that I would forgive my mother if she were sick, and he threw it back at me because I wasn’t abandoned for six years. And then I yelled at him because he was only thinking about himself.”

“So you shamed him for being selfish, broke up with him, and left in the middle of the night without a single word,” Veronica surmises.

Betty cringes. “Well, when you put it like that . . .”

“If it hadn’t been Archie, I would be proud of you. It takes guts to be a real bitch.”

Oddly, that’s the sweetest thing Betty’s heard Veronica say. “Thanks, I think?”

“But now that I know the truth, I am forcing you to make up with Archie. You two are so insanely perfect for each other, and I refuse to let you ruin love for the rest of us because you’re too stubborn.”

Arguing with Veronica is useless and ineffective, so Betty relents and lets her friend form a master plan for maximum reconciliation efforts. Plus, she’s learned a lot about herself in these past two days, and the most important has been that her role has been and always will be the girl next door. Being popular and bitchy isn’t in her DNA, so Betty leaves that up to Veronica now. (She’s keeping the hair color, though. Not only because it’s semi-permanent, but also, she looks hot as a brunette.)

The entire day, the two girls avoid everyone who isn’t Kevin – despite being perpetually single, he has relationship advice even Veronica doesn’t know – and spend every free moment scheming. Veronica coins the name “Operation: End Game” and works on the physical execution of the plan, i.e.; how to corner Archie, while Kevin and Betty plan the apology. It needs to be sincere and from the heart, but concise enough to get the point across before Archie can run away. By last period, all of the details have been ironed out into a flawless plan. All they need is to do is get Betty to Archie’s locker by three o’clock.

Their entire day’s work is crumpled into a ball and thrown into a flaming garbage can when Jughead texts the group to inform them that Mary Andrews is on her last metaphorical legs and that Archie’s going to visit her.

“Change of plans!” Veronica announces. “Betty, how would do you feel about comforting your ex about his dying mother?”

 

* * *

 

 

Mary Andrews succumbs to her cancer at three forty-two in the afternoon, on February twenty-sixth of her son’s sophomore year.

Having arrived five minutes beforehand, Betty stands in the doorway, an onlooker to the show as the heart monitor begins one long, constant beep. She’s shoved outside by a nurse, tripping over her heels. (Thankfully, Veronica is standing behind her and catches her before she falls flat on her ass.) Archie is brought into the hall by a nurse, and they all rush forward to greet him.

“Betty,” he gasps.

His eyes are bloodshot and tired, dark circles contrasting against his pale skin. His vibrant hair has turned dull and greasy. The artificial light shines over his head, but instead of resembling an angel, he turns demonic.

This has ruined him, and it’s all Betty’s fault.

“I – I’m so sorry, Archie! I was really selfish, and leaving like that wasn’t the right thing to do. It was a really dick move, and I understand completely if you never want to see me again.”

“No! Stay. Please.”

She turns back to Veronica for an answer, who simply nods her encouragement. Facing Archie again, Betty takes his hand. “Always.”

They still have a lot to talk about, but it’s a start. And everything has to start somewhere.

 

* * *

 

 

The funeral is small, and technically not a funeral. Just the interment. The local pastor presides over the service, with only Fred, Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead in attendance.

With the final words said, and Mary’s urn in the Andrews’ plot of the local cemetery, the group slowly files out. Fred walks Pastor John to his car, while Veronica and Jughead make plans to head to Pop’s. Betty decides to follow them; falsely believing that Archie will be right along. Halfway to Veronica’s car, however, she turns back to see that Archie hasn’t moved an inch either direction.

“You know what? You guys go ahead. We’ll catch up with you later.”

Betty approaches the grave, stepping loudly to inform Archie of her arrival. (The last thing that poor boy needs is a heart attack.) She stops a few feet away, however, at the sound of his voice.

 _He’s talking to her,_ she realizes.

“Remember that time in second grade when I broke your favorite lamp, but you thought it was Vegas, so you left him outside all night? And then I fessed up, and you gave Vegas half of the treat bag as an apology. That was a good time.” He takes a breath. “I hated you for so long, for leaving us, but things worked out pretty okay in the end. I just hope that wherever you are, you find happiness. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”

“She’ll be happy,” Betty says. Slowly, he turns around to face her. Tears streak down his face, and she steps closer, wiping one away. “You know how I know? Because she has you for a son. And any woman lucky enough to have you should always be happy.”

Their problems aren’t fixed with some deep words and a hug. They’ve got ways to go until they can find true happiness together. But Betty finds it brings them just a little closer than they were before, gives a little more meaning to their love, and gets them that much closer to forever.

Maybe this change is all they needed.

 

* * *

 

 

_Two years later_

“Where are you taking me? And is it really so important that I have to miss Calculus?” demands Betty, pulling at the blindfold covering her eyes.

“Yes, it is, and you will understand if you just calm down and trust me.”

Betty huffs, annoyed that she’s missing her favorite class so her boyfriend can drag her around town, but complies anyway. It might be a birthday surprise, after all, and she won’t say no to a gift. Especially since she hasn’t received a single “happy birthday” yet this day. Not even from her parents.

They walk for a solid five minutes, and unless he spun her around to confuse her internal compass, they’re headed down Sugar Maple Drive, home to the elementary school and hundreds of suburban houses. She racks her brain, but Betty can’t think of any reason to be on this street. There’s nothing significant around, and they would’ve taken his car to get somewhere further than ten minutes away.

Suddenly, Archie stops, causing Betty to stumble and nearly lose her footing.

“First day, new feet?” he jokes.

“Very funny, Archie. Now, will you please tell me where we’re going?”

“I would, but it might just be easier for you to see for yourself.”

With the blindfold off, she takes a moment to let her eyes adjust to the bright April sun, squinting and blinking against the light.

“We’re at the elementary school,” she notes. “Why are we at the elementary school?”

Archie chuckles. “That is a very good question. But first, tell me what you see.”

Deciding she won’t get an answer unless she humors him, Betty takes in their surroundings. Leaves are budding on the branches of the large maple tree above them, a sure sign of the season. The clear morning sky shines a pale baby blue, marred only by the sun and the few wispy clouds on the horizon. A crow flies through the air, soaring over the playground with its oil black wings splayed out. Flowers – daisies – are sprouting around the rough tree roots, a piece of beauty amidst the average scenery. Morning dew soaks the grass, allowing the sun’s rays to glint off the drops of water.

It’s a typical spring day in Riverdale.

Betty says as much, eyes flitting around for any indication of something special, but finds nothing.

And then Ed Sheeran’s voice floats through the air, a smooth melody mixing with the singing birds and the calm breeze. Betty twirls around, perplexed.

There stands her boyfriend, outfitted in a dark grey suit, tie identical to the color of her prom dress. This must be his suit for prom. But why is he wearing it so earlier? It’s only April!

“Dance with me,” he says, extending an arm.

Seeing as she has no reason to refuse, Betty graciously accepts his hand and laughs as he spins her around. Then, he pulls her in close, arms snug around her waist.

“ _’Cause we were just kids when we fell in love,_ ” Ed croons, “ _Not knowing what it was. I will not give you up this time.”_

(The irony isn’t lost on Betty.)

Archie begins to sing along, staring into Betty’s eyes the entire time. No one has ever made her feel as loved as in this moment, and she knows it will be a moment she remembers for the rest of her life.

As the song comes to an end, Archie begins to speak.

“We may not be barefoot or in the dark, but the rest of the song holds true. I fell in love with you in the second grade, when love was such a foreign concept to us all, and I have never stopped loving you since.”

Betty feels as though her heart will fall out her chest from pure adoration. Not even on Valentine’s Day has Archie gone this far with the romance.

“You share my dreams, and we plan on sharing a home. You carry more than just my secrets; you carry my love, and one day, I hope, my children.”

From there, he begins to sing the rest of the chorus, ending with “I see my future in your eyes.”

This clues Betty in. She sees now that it’s a little too coincidental to not be a proposal.

What really locks it in, though, is when Archie gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring. Veronica would say it’s too small, as the Lodge girl has some expensive tastes, but Betty thinks that the single diamond is more than enough. The intricate detail of the ring gives it a unique and vintage vibe, and Betty has already fallen in love with it.

“This was my grandmother’s ring. My grandad gave it to her after three months of dating, and they were happily married for fifty years until her death. I went to visit my grandad a few months ago, and he asked me how serious I felt about you, knowing we’d been together for a few years, and I said I couldn’t imagine loving anyone else. He gave it to me right then and there, and it’s been in my pocket for months, just waiting until today.”

Betty starts to wonder what’s so special about today when Archie interrupts her thoughts with an explanation.

“Ten years ago, you helped get me through the second grade. I was so happy, I kissed your lips and asked you to marry me, but you said no. I was as devastated as any eight year old could be, but then you told me to ask when we were eighteen, and you’d say yes. Well, Betty, we’re both eighteen now, and I’m holding you to that promise. So will you, Elizabeth Cooper, do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?”

She pretends to ponder it, just for a moment, until he’s near to becoming a nervous wreck and then gives her answer.

“Nothing would make me happier.”

 

* * *

 

 

Betty has a memory from second grade she could never quite make sense of. She and Archie had been playing in her backyard a few days after Archie’s “proposal,” as both of their moms sipped from mugs on the porch, one eye on their kids at all times. From the position of the playground, the monkey bars were closest to the house, and because of her dream to become a professional ape, Betty spent most of her time swinging from the metal bars.

She was standing on the short ladder used to reach the first rung when she heard Archie’s mother mention a wedding.

“I hate to think about this with our kids so young, but did you hear that Archie asked Betty to marry him? I’ve already started planning their wedding!”

“Oh, yes, Fred told me! He said her answer was to ask her when they were eighteen. Isn’t that sweet?”

She’d written it off as a book or a show. They always seemed to be talking about that stuff. But now she gets it. She understands. From the very beginning, she and Archie had been endgame. Falling in love with Archie Andrews had been inevitable. Their own mothers were talking about their wedding ten years in advance.

And now, standing at the end of the aisle in their local church, her in a white dress and Archie in a tux, she truly understands it all. Some changes aren’t really changes at all; they’re just the universe’s way of bringing two people closer to their destinies.

Pastor John says, “You may now kiss the bride,” and then Archie’s dipping her, his lips pressed against hers in a kiss to rival all kisses, to the cheering of the guests. As he stands her back up, the sunlight streaming through the windows shines off the gold band on Archie’s finger, and she grins.

Change can sometimes be a bad thing, but it can also be good. As she walks down the aisle with her husband, – _holy shit she’s actually married_ – she becomes thankful for all the changes in her life. Though they may not have seemed like it, she knows now that they were all good, because they all brought her to this, her happiest moment.

So, yeah, maybe change really can be a good thing.

**Author's Note:**

> [betty's engagement ring](https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/vintage/14k-white-gold-diamond-filigree-engagement-ring-item-52620)
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> [follow my tumblr](https://teamstevesass.tumblr.com)


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